Sorento SUV to get serious makeover

Kia will launch a significantly improved version of its Sorento SUV into UK showrooms in the Autumn.

Changes include a re-engineered bodyshell and upgraded powertrains boosting fuel economy and emissions.

Kia also claims improved ride, handling and refinement for the new model, along with extra specification and a fresh exterior look.

According to Kia’s International Business Division COE, Thomas Oh, the changes follow on from owners’ feedback. “The upgraded Sorento is not just a cosmetic exercise but a major step forward for our popular SUV,” he says.

Exterior changes include new headlamps with LED positioning lights, a new tailgate with LED rear combination lamps, changed bumpers (front and rear) with vertical-axis fog lights and a larger area of body-color surface. More wheel choices are on offer including in some cases 19-inch variants.

The cabin still comes in five or seven-seat form and now contains more soft-touch surfaces and a new LCD instrument cluster, a new center stack with seven-inch display screen, and a new console featuring a straight-gate selector.

Auto transmission versions get the gear selector with a leather boot, which Kia says reflects the vehicle’s more luxurious character. Trim options are black or beige cloth or leather, with a larger panoramic sunroof also on offer.

Kia says the full specification for UK models will be published closer to the revised car’s launch.

Words by: Andrew Charman